A. T. Cross Company
 | |
| Private | |
| Industry | Accessory, Optical |
| Founded |
Providence, RI, United States 1846 |
| Founder | Richard Cross |
| Headquarters | Lincoln, RI, United States |
Area served |
United States Europe |
Key people |
Russell A. Boss (Chairman) Robert Baird (CEO) |
| Products | Writing instruments, Stationery, Accessories |
| Revenue |
 US$ 158.3 million (2010) |
|
US$ 9.32 million (2010) | |
|
US$ 6.37 million (2010) | |
| Total assets |
US$ 144.63 million (2010) |
| Total equity |
US$ 72.47 million (2010) |
Number of employees | 930 (2010) |
| Website | www.cross.com |
A. T. Cross is a traded (NASDAQ: ATX) American company that competes in the fine writing instrument and journal businesses.
Overview
Cross manufactures and distributes fine writing instruments, journals and accessories worldwide.
History
The company was founded in 1846 in Providence, Rhode Island, and initially manufactured gold and silver casings for pencils, reflecting the Cross family's history as jewelers. The company was founded by Richard Cross who passed it on to his son Alonzo T. Cross. The company developed many innovative new writing instruments, including forerunners of the modern mechanical pencils, and the earliest stylographic pens. After trading on the NASDAQ for five years (under the now-defunct symbol ATX), the company was sold to Clarion Capital Partners LLC in 2013.[1]
Products
Cross is well known for its writing instrument lines, beginning with mechanical pencils and produced the first stylographic (a technological forerunner of the modern ball point pen) pens in 1879. The current product line includes fountain pens, ballpoint pens, gel pens and mechanical pencils.[2] The first Cross fountain pens were likely produced in 1930, but not again until the 1980s.
Cross writing instruments are generally sold in the mid-range of the market, rather than the extreme luxury end. However, they became a "must-have" accessory for the rising professional during the 1970s and 1980s.
The company also manufactures a range of wristwatches, cufflinks, desk accessories and leather goods such as pen cases, portfolios, and other items often targeted at the gift market.
In late 1997 Cross and IBM teamed up to introduce a digital writing pad, called the CrossPad, which was discontinued in 2004.[3]